The growth and development of the nation’s public transportation systems may soon reach a screeching halt. If crumbling infrastructure, mounting debt, and painful service cuts aren’t evidence enough, the administrators of some of the nation’s largest transit systems are coming to Boston to say out loud and in unison, “We’re not kidding.” Arguably, this rare […]
Daniel Grabauskas
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Technology makes ride sharing a better way to go
Last Friday, Zipcar, the world’s largest car sharing provider, and Zimride, the largest online ride-sharing community, announced an expansion of their partnership to five more university campuses in the US — adding these to the 10 campuses already participating in the shared program. (None are in Massachusetts.) As described by the companies, it works like […]
Posted inThe Download, Transportation
Technology makes ride-sharing a better way to go
By Daniel Grabauskas Last Friday, Zipcar, the world's largest car sharing provider, and Zimride, the largest online ride-sharing community, announced an expansion of their partnership to five more university campuses in the US — adding these to the 10 campuses already participating in the shared program. (None are in Massachusetts.) As described by the companies, […]
Posted inThe Download, Transportation
“Fix it first!” New projects get the headlines, but we need to repair what we already have
By Daniel Grabauskas In January 2003, just days after being sworn in as governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney stood alongside a structurally deficient bridge on Route 2 and said: "Fix it first!" That declaration would become a fundamental component of his transportation policy agenda. It was crystal-clear direction given to me as his new transportation […]
Posted inUncategorized
“Fix it first!” New projects get the headlines, but we need to repair what we already have
In January 2003, just days after being sworn in as governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney stood alongside a structurally deficient bridge on Route 2 and said: "Fix it first!" That declaration would become a fundamental component of his transportation policy agenda. It was crystal-clear direction given to me as his new transportation secretary. And it […]
Posted inThe Download, Transportation
Northeast Corridor shut out of high-speed rail funds
By Daniel Grabauskas The news today that the Northeast Corridor (think your Amtrak trip from Boston to New York to Washington DC) would be shut out of the first round of high-speed rail funding is very bad news and a missed opportunity. And not just bad news for the Northeast Corridor, though certainly that, but […]
Posted inUncategorized
Northeast Corridor shut out of high speed rail funds
The news today that the Northeast Corridor (think your Amtrak trip from Boston to New York to Washington DC) would be shut out of the first round of high-speed rail funding is very bad news and a missed opportunity. And not just bad news for the Northeast Corridor, though certainly that, but for the future […]
Posted inThe Download, Transportation
Remembering the woman behind “Charlie on the MTA” — and the CharlieCard
By Daniel Grabauskas Folklorist Bess Lomax Hawes passed away last week. I offer a personal remembrance. I never met Ms. Hawes, but I feel a connection to her. She co-authored the folk song, beloved in Boston and beyond, "Charlie on the MTA." By coincidence, last week was the fifth anniversary of the introduction of the […]
Posted inUncategorized
Remembering the woman behind “Charlie on the MTA” — and the Charlie Card
Folklorist Bess Lomax Hawes passed away last week. I offer a personal remembrance. I never met Ms. Hawes, but I feel a connection to her. She co-authored the folk song, beloved in Boston and beyond, "Charlie on the MTA." By coincidence, last week was the fifth anniversary of the introduction of the CharlieCard. It was […]
Posted inUncategorized
Warren Buffett’s shrewd recognition of a railroad revival
By Daniel Grabauskas Last week the Sage of Omaha, Warren Buffett, closed the biggest deal of his career. Value: $26.3 billion. It wasn’t about a high-tech company. It wasn’t about a financial services giant. No, it was the kind of big deal we haven’t heard about for a long while. Mr. Buffet bought a railroad. […]